Aston Martin loves doing special-editions of its lineup but only if they make sense and have a good reason behind it. The Gaydon automaker has just unveiled the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420, which is a successor to the V8 Vantage N400 from 2007. While the N420 continues the N400’s place in the Aston Martin lineup as a special edition coupe with cues taken from Aston Martin’s racing program, it receives significant powerplant, chassis, and cosmetic changes.

Special Edition Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420

The biggest news between the N400 and N420 is under the skin, where the V8 Vantage’s 4.7-liter V-8, making 420 horsepower good for 180 mph, has displaced the N400’s older 4.3-liter V-8 engine. The lower and stiffer Sport Pack suspension sharpens the N420’s responses, while a sports exhaust emits an even more inspiring note than normal. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420 is 60 pounds (27kg) lighter than the standard version as it has some of its standard parts replaced with carbon fiber ones. The V8 Vantage N420 comes with a carbon fiber front splitter, side strakes and diffuser. The car sits on new 10-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mercedes-Benz is setting the new standard in armoured patrol vehicles showing the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Light Armoured Patrol (LAP) Vehicle 6.X Concept at the recent EUROSATORY 2010 event (Paris, June 14 – 18).

Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Light Armoured Patrol (LAP) Vehicle 6.X Concept

Based on the LAPV 5.4, the G-Wagon 6.X was meant to carry larger and heavier cargo, while offering better protection as well as agility. It uses an unspecified common-rail diesel engine that lets the concept hit 93 mph (150 km/h) even if carrying 2,866 lbs (1,300 kilograms) of cargo. According to the manufacturer, the monocoque full steel body provides ballistic protection and sits upon a compact 2850mm wheelbase. The modular armour plate system allows damaged plates to be removed quickly and be replaced and includes a mine deflector plate on the vehicles floor.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

What you’re looking at here is the most extreme version of the Bugatti Veyron. Known as the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, the special-edition model broke a new landspeed world record for production cars hitting a top speed of 267.81 mph.

Bugatti is claiming a new production-car top-speed record with a combined two-run average of 267.9 mph (431.072 kph) with a new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport model, smashing the 253.76-mph record set by a standard Veyron 16.4 in 2005.  It also betters the existing world-record mark of 256.23 mph (412.28 kph) established by Shelby SuperCars with its Ultimate Aero on a 12-mile stretch of road in Nevada in 2007.

The Veyron 16.4 Super Sport was piloted by Bugatti’s official test-driver, Pierre Henri Raphanel, who returned two runs – one at 265.3 mph and one at 269.6 mph. The folks at TUV and Guinness took the average of both times, which came in at 268 mph.

Read the rest of this entry »

At the UK’s Goodwood Festival of Speed Andrew Morris just debuted the Icon Sheene, the world’s most expensive and powerful production motorcycle designed to leave Ducatis in the dust. Like its name suggests, the super bike developed by Andrew Morris pays tribute to the late Grand Prix motorcycle world champion, Barry Sheene.

Icon Sheene - The World’s Most Expensive Bike

This hand built magnificent work of art is powered by 1.4-liter turbocharged, inline 4-cylinder engine, 250hp and a torque of 133 lbs-ft and reaches at top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h). Equipped with tubular aluminum frame including a fuel tank made from hand-beaten aluminum that takes around a month to fabricate. The bodywork is made up of hand-laid carbon fiber panels.

Read the rest of this entry »

After invading Europe and America, Anjuny, the luxury car accessory brand by ZMC, is all set to invade the luxury market of China with its Swarovski crystal studded Convertible Smart Fortwo.

Anjuny’s Swarovski crystal covered Smart convertible

The Smart Fortwo, a special edition car was created for the Chinese market. It gets no less than 283,960 eye-blinding Swarovski crystals on the exterior, plus a few on the interior, but who’s counting? In the interior, you will find these little stones applied on the leather, drink holders, shift knob, mirrors, seat buckles, and pedals.

Read the rest of this entry »

German tuning firm Kicherer has unveiled a new styling and performance package for the Mercedes SLS AMG. The fine tuned beauty is dubbed the Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS Supersport Edition Black and is definitely one hot looker.

Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS Supersport Edition Black

First in the list of features is sports ‘spoiler skirt’ under the front bumper, and then there’s the awesome diffuser fins in the back to make sure you won’t launch like an airplane in top gear. Both of these are made from carbon fiber by the way. The sports ‘screw thread’, another mind-boggling modification, suspension system is quite marvelous, allowing the driver to fine tune the ride from inside the cockpit. And then there’s the stainless steel exhaust system, also adjustable from the inside, allowing the driver to go from low, mid to high flow depending on sound preference and performance needs. The Supersport will be rolling on 3-piece 20-inch RS-1 lightweight wheels.

Read the rest of this entry »

A royal purple 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost that’s said to have belonged to Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, is being offered for sale in Germany via global online luxury marketplace JamesList.

Custom 1914 Silver Ghost Rolls-Royce Owned by Last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II

The custom-made Rolls-Royce features nickel plated fittings, a speaking tube for communicating with the chauffeur and coachwork by Barker. The car was reportedly made just 10 years after Henry Royce built his first car. In the 1920s, car found its way into the collection of circus impresario John Ringling of Ringling Bros. at Ca d’Zan, his famous 30 room Venetian mansion in Sarasota, Florida.

Read the rest of this entry »